Shoe scrubber and method of scrubbing shoes

ABSTRACT

A shoe scrubber has a machine frame forming a trough extending in a longitudinal direction, a platform supported in the frame, extending longitudinally above the trough, and subdivided into two longitudinally extending paths, a respective pair of elongated longitudinally extending rollers having radially extending cleaning elements in the trough under each of the paths with the elements projecting upward through the platform, and means for rotating the rollers and thereby scrubbing dirt from soles of shoes on the platform in the paths.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a shoe scrubber. More particularly thisinvention concerns such an apparatus that cleans the sole area of a shoeor boot.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A known shoe scrubber has a machine frame forming a trough=, a platformabove the trough, and rotatable cleaning rollers that extend in alongitudinal direction of the machine frame in the trough such thatcleaning elements on cores of the cleaning rollers, particularlybristles, pass through the platform. The platform has two cleaning pathsextending side by side longitudinally.

The cleaning rollers pass through an upper surface of the platform,enabling the sole of a shoe on the platform to be cleaned from below.Bristles that are flexible are usually provided as cleaning elements sothat the shoe soles are brushed.

Usually, cleaning is performed with a cleaning and/or disinfectingliquid with which the cleaning rollers are wetted. For example, thecleaning rollers in the trough can dip into a liquid bath and/or besprayed with the cleaning and/or disinfecting liquid.

In the context of the invention, “cleaning” is understood as the atleast partial removal of dirt from shoes and particularly shoe soles.The same applies to disinfection, in which at least a portion ofmicroorganisms, bacteria, and other contaminants are removed orneutralized.

Shoe scrubbers of this generic type are known, for example, from DE 10113 136, US 2010/0115717, and DE 10 2016 108 439.

In areas with high hygienic requirements, such as food-relatedbusinesses, pharmaceutical production plants, slaughterhouses, butchershops, commercial kitchens, or the like, the cleaning of shoes is ofparticular importance in order to prevent contamination of the workareas by the employees. The cleaning of the shoes is usually carried outin transitional areas like locks that can be provided both at theentrance into and exit from a production area as well as betweendifferent production subareas.

In the shoe scrubber of this generic type, the platform has two cleaningportions that extend side by side longitudinally in order to clean bothof a user's shoes while the user is walking in the lengthwise directionof the shoe scrubber. In this connection, the shoe scrubber can also beprovided at its entrance and/or exit with turnstiles in order to controlaccess and the dwell time on the shoe scrubber. For example, a locked orlockable turnstile at the exit of the shoe scrubber ensures that aminimum time for the cleaning of shoes and, in particular, of shoe solesis observed.

The shoe scrubber can also be combined in the context of the inventionwith other facilities such as a hand cleaning and/or disinfection, adryer for the cleaned shoes, or the like. Such subsystems are described,for example, in above-described document DE 10 2016 108 439 and in DE 102013 104 562.

According to DE 101 13 136, various cleaning devices can also be oneafter the other and thus combined.

In the known shoe scrubbers, a cleaning roller that extendslongitudinally of the machine frame is provided in every cleaning pathwith cleaning elements, particularly bristles, for the purpose ofcleaning a shoe sole. The cleaning elements project far beyond theplatform, particularly in the middle of the two cleaning paths, and arethus able to clean the instep area of a sole in a particularly reliableand efficient manner.

Starting from the known prior art, it is the object of the presentinvention to provide to improve shoe cleaning and, in particular,cleaning of the edge of a sole.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide animproved shoe scrubber and method of scrubbing shoes.

Another object is the provision of such an improved shoe scrubber andmethod of scrubbing shoes that overcomes the above-given disadvantages,in particular that provides exceptional cleaning while being of simpleconstruction and easy to service.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A shoe scrubber has according to the invention a machine frame forming atrough extending in a longitudinal direction, a platform supported inthe frame, extending longitudinally above the trough, and subdividedinto two longitudinally extending paths, a respective pair of elongatedlongitudinally extending rollers having radially extending cleaningelements in the trough under each of the paths with the elementsprojecting upward through the platform, and means for rotating therollers and thereby scrubbing dirt from soles of shoes on the platformin the paths.

Even though known shoe scrubbers are well established in practice, thepresent invention is based on the discovery that the cleaning result isstill in need of improvement precisely in the edge region of the soles,because it is there according to the prior art that the projectinglength of the cleaning elements beyond the platform is reduced due tothe rotation about axes of the cleaning rollers. In order to avoid thisdrawback, according to the invention, starting from a standard shoescrubber, two sole-cleaning rollers are provided in each of the twocleaning paths. The two juxtaposed sole-cleaning rollers make reliablecleaning possible over a greater width, so that precisely the edges of ashoe sole can be cleaned from below in an especially reliable manner.

A provision is preferably made that the sole-cleaning rollers of eachpair are set up, particularly coupled mechanically by gearing, so as tocounterrotate, that is rotate oppositely to each other in the respectivecleaning path, it being possible for each cleaning path to be providedwith a separate drive motor that then drives the two respectivesole-cleaning rollers.

If a shoe is guided centrally over the two sole-cleaning rollers in eachof the two cleaning paths, the side edges of the sole in particular arebrushed very intensely, enabling dirt there to be reliably removed. Suchan especially reliable and intensive cleaning is essentially impossiblewith only one sole-cleaning roller for each of the two cleaning paths.When there is only one sole-cleaning roller for each cleaning path inwhich the shoe is centrally arranged, the largest projecting length ofthe cleaning elements, particularly the bristles, occurs centrally abovethe axis of rotation of the sole-cleaning roller.

In principle, it lies within the scope of the invention for all of theat least four sole-cleaning rollers to be driven by a common drivemotor. It is especially preferred, however, for a respective drive motorto be provided for each cleaning path. Alternatively, a separate drivemotor can also be present for each sole-cleaning roller, in which casehowever the expenditure for equipment is comparatively high.

If at least the two sole-cleaning rollers that are associated with eachcleaning path are driven by a common drive motor, the transmission ofrotation to the two sole-cleaning rollers is expediently performed bygearing, particularly by gear wheels.

In the context of the invention, the two associated sole-cleaningrollers are extend longitudinally parallel to one another in eachcleaning path and preferably are also substantially identical. Inparticular, the sole-cleaning rollers can preferably have the samediameter, which is determined by the outer ends of the cleaningelements, particularly bristles.

The cleaning elements are expediently on a core of the sole-cleaningroller, which can be made of plastic, particularly PVC. Even if the twosole-cleaning rollers have substantially the same configuration for eachcleaning path, the cleaning elements, particularly bristles, arepreferably offset from one another longitudinally, so that they canrotate undisturbed in opposite directions.

For example, if the platform is formed as a grating, then individual,particularly annular, arrays of cleaning elements, particularlybristles, can alternately pass through openings or windows of theplatform grating. Corresponding openings or windows can be defined bycrossbars, for example, that also support the shoes. In the context ofsuch an embodiment, the alternating cleaning elements of the twosole-cleaning rollers of a cleaning path are then separated by thecrossbars.

According to another independent idea of the invention, for eachcleaning path, side-cleaning rollers each having two additional cleaningelements, particularly bristles, are mounted above the platform and soas to form a cleaning lane for a shoe with a horizontal gap betweenthem. With the side-cleaning rollers, the outer side edge of the soleand an upper portion immediately above the sole is to be cleaned and/ordisinfected. Compared to known cleaning rollers for cleaning and/ordisinfecting bootlegs, the side-cleaning rollers for cleaning the sideedge of the sole and an upper portion immediately above the sole arecomparatively small and comparatively low. Advantageously, generic shoescrubbers can also be improved by the side-cleaning rollers described.

The side-cleaning rollers preferably rotate downward toward the platformat the respective edge of the cleaning lane, so that the outer edge ofthe sole can be cleaned well from above and dirt transported downwardtoward the trough.

In a conventional shoe, particularly a work shoe, the sole projectslaterally past the upper. In particular, the upper can be sewn or gluedto the sole on a horizontal, flange-shaped circumferential section. Dirtcan accumulate precisely in this angled portion that cannot be easilyremoved. In the framework of a development of the invention, thisportion can be cleaned in an especially reliable manner as well byvirtue of the side-cleaning rollers acting from above on this area.

A provision is preferably made that, in each of the two cleaning paths,the pair of sole-cleaning rollers and the two respective side-cleaningrollers are driven by a common drive motor. It is thus possible, forexample, for the two side-cleaning rollers to be connected to gearingthat is preferably formed from gear wheels.

In order to enable the complete and reliable cleaning of the sole edgesand of the transitional region between the sole and upper, a provisioncan be made that, on their outer periphery formed by the cleaningelements, the side-cleaning rollers intersect with the outer peripheryof the respective adjacent sole-cleaning roller. This makes doublecleaning by the sole-cleaning roller and the side-cleaning roller therepossible.

According to a development of the invention, the overlap can also beutilized in order to drive the side-cleaning rollers. The side-cleaningrollers are then not connected to a conventional gear mechanism togetherwith the sole-cleaning rollers. Instead, the cleaning elements of thesole-cleaning roller and the associated side-cleaning roller engage withone another at the intersection, so that a direct transfer of rotationoccurs by the teeth of the cleaning elements (similarly to toothedwheels). This results in the advantage of an especially simpleembodiment in which the side-cleaning rollers need only be at theappropriate position and no further mechanical connection is necessary.

A cleaning and/or disinfecting liquid can also be transferred by theoverlapping and contacting the cleaning elements.

It should also be noted that the shoe scrubber is to be as easy to cleanas possible for maintenance purposes. For example, the sole-cleaningrollers and/or the side-cleaning rollers can be accommodated in simplebearing shells and slide bearings, in which case a positive connectionto gearing or drive motor can be used in the form for example of a kindof drive pin.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, in order toeffectively clean particularly the outer edges of a sole and thetransition region between the sole and upper, the side-cleaning rollersare such that the distance from the respective axis of rotation to theplatform surface is between 15 mm and 50 mm, particularly between 20 mmand 35 mm. Additionally or alternatively, the diameter of theside-cleaning rollers can be between 30 mm and 100 mm, particularlybetween 50 mm and 80 mm.

The length of the two cleaning paths running side by side longitudinallyand thus also the length of the sole-cleaning rollers there must be ofat least sufficient length that conventional shoes are completelycleaned over their entire length. The cleaning paths can then bedesigned to be relatively short in the context of the invention,especially if users are halted by a turnstile, a display element, orother measures so that they remain on the platform. Preferably, however,a provision is made that the user walks through the cleaning paths, inwhich case the length of the cleaning paths longitudinally and thus thelength of the sole-cleaning rollers is preferably between 90 cm and 250cm.

The invention also relates to a shoe-cleaning method with theabove-described shoe scrubber, where the respective sole-cleaningrollers are preferably driven so as to rotate in opposite directions inthe two cleaning paths, the cleaning elements of the sole-cleaningrollers are wetted in the trough particularly through spraying withand/or by immersion in a cleaning and/or disinfecting liquid, and a shoeis guided longitudinally over each cleaning path, so that a sole of theshoes is cleaned and/or disinfected by the sole-cleaning rollers.

The sole-cleaning rollers are typically driven at 40 to 120 revolutionsper minute, particularly at 60 to 95 revolutions per minute. It shouldbe borne in mind here that, as the rotational speed increases, so doesthe cleaning efficiency, but the cleaning and/or disinfecting liquid canbe sprayed out in an undesirable manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become morereadily apparent from the following description, reference being made tothe accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shoe scrubber according to theinvention with two cleaning paths that extend next to one anotherlongitudinally;

FIG. 2A is a side view of one of the cleaning paths as seenlongitudinally;

FIG. 2B is an enlarged cut-out of FIG. 2A; and

FIG. 3 shows the shoe scrubber according to FIG. 1 in a partiallydisassembled state.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As seen in FIG. 1 a shoe scrubber according to the invention has amachine frame 2 forming a trough 1 and a grating 3 forming a platformabove the trough 1. The platform grating 3 comprises crossbars 4, sidebars 5, and a central bar 6 that in this embodiment separates theplatform into two cleaning paths 7 a and 7 b that extend next to oneanother in a horizontal and longitudinal direction 1. Each of these twocleaning paths 7 a and 7 b is provided for the purpose of receiving andcleaning and/or disinfecting a respective shoe 8 of a user traversingthe cleaning apparatus.

For the sake of clarity, optional components and attachments of the shoescrubber are not shown in FIG. 1. According to the embodiments that areknown from the prior art, side railings and guide elements, turnstilesat the entrance and exit, downstream dryers, devices for handdisinfection, or the like can be for example be provided.

Rotatable sole-cleaning rollers 9 provided in the trough 1 have cleaningelements 11 in the form of radially extending bristles on a core rod 10journaled in the frame 2.

FIG. 1 shows that the cleaning elements/bristles 11 extend through andup past the upper surface of the platform grating 3 so that the lowersurface of the sole 12 of the shoe 8 on the grating 3 can be effectivelycleaned.

According to the invention, a pair of these sole-cleaning rollers 9 thatcan be rotated in opposite directions are provided for each cleaningpath 7 a and 7 b, extending parallel to each other longitudinally aboutrespective rotation axes.

In particular, each pair of sole-cleaning rollers 9 of each cleaningpath 7 a and 7 b can be connected to a respective drive motor 14 viarespective gears 13 in the illustrated embodiment.

Given the rotation of the two sole-cleaning rollers 9 of each cleaningpath 7 a and 7 b in opposite directions, in order to avoid excessivefriction between the cleaning elements/bristles 11 of the twosole-cleaning rollers 9, these bristles 11 of the cleaning patha 7 a and7 b are offset from one another in the longitudinal direction 1. In theillustrated embodiment, the crossbars 4 of the platform grating 3 in thetwo cleaning paths 7 a and 7 b form individual slots windows spacedlongitudinally and extending horizontally perpendicular to thedirection. The cleaning elements 11 of one of the two sole-cleaningrollers 9 extend through every other such slot, and the interveningslots are traversed by the elements 11 of the other of the twosole-cleaning rollers 9 of the same pair, so that the arrays of elements11 of the two rollers 9 alternate and in no way interfere with eachother.

The fact that the sole 12 is cleaned in the context of the invention bytwo sole-cleaning rollers 9 in each cleaning path 7 a and 7 b makesespecially reliable and effective cleaning and/or disinfection possible.

According to another aspect of the invention, two additionalside-cleaning rollers 16 having cleaning elements 11′ in the form ofbristles and are mounted above the platform forming the two cleaningpaths 7 a and 7 b, with a cleaning lane being formed in each cleaningpath 7 a and 7 b by two of the sole-cleaning rollers 9 and two of theside-cleaning rollers 16. The side-cleaning rollers 16 rotate so thattheir bristles 11′ are moving downward, i.e. toward the platform, so asto sweep dirt from the shoe 8 down into the trough 1. In addition, atransitional region of the sole 12 to an upper 17 of the shoe 8 can bescribbed particularly effectively and reliably from above, even if thereis an angled portion.

It can also be seen particularly from FIGS. 2A and 2B that the orbit ofthe bristles 11′ of the side-cleaning rollers 16 overlap the orbit ofthe bristles 11 of the respective adjacent sole-cleaning roller 9. Thisensures that, in effect, the sole-cleaning rollers 9 each drive arespective one of the side-cleaning rollers 16 by angular engagement ofthe bristles 11 and 11′. To this end of course the spacing of the arraysof bristles 11′ on the side-cleaning rollers 16 are spaced identicallyto the arrays of bristles 11 on the respective rollers 9. It also provesadvantageous that cleaning and/or disinfecting liquid can also betransferred from the sole-cleaning rollers 9 to the side-cleaningrollers 16 through direct contact of the cleaning elements 11 and 11′.This cleaning/disinfecting liquid fills the trough 1 to a levelindicated at L in FIG. 2A so that the tips of the bristles 11 dip intoit as the rollers 9 rotate.

According to an alternative embodiment, however, it is also possible toconnect the side-cleaning rollers 16 to the gearing 13 by additionalgears or the like. Such a variant is advantageous particularly withregard to the torques to be transmitted.

In the context of the invention, the side-cleaning rollers 16 areprovided for the effective cleaning of the side edge of the sole 12 andof the immediately adjoining lower portion of the upper 17. The shoescrubber can thus also be used and is intended for conventionalmid-height footwear. On the other hand, if even the high uppers of aboot are to be cleaned, a separate cleaning step is usually provided forthis purpose within the scope of the invention.

Accordingly, the rotation axes of the side-cleaning rollers 16 are at arelatively small spacing above the platform of typically between 15 mmand 50 mm, particularly between 20 mm and 35 mm. The diameter of theside-cleaning rollers 16 can, for example, be between 30 mm and 100 mm,particularly between 50 mm and 80 mm.

The length of the sole-cleaning rollers 9 and side-cleaning rollers 16is usually between 90 cm and 250 cm, with the shoes 8 being cleanedaccording to the embodiment when a user steps along the platform formedby the platform grating 3.

The preferred directions of rotation of the two sole-cleaning rollers 9and of the two side-cleaning rollers 16 are indicated by arrows in FIG.2A.

FIG. 3 shows the shoe scrubber, the platform grating 3 with theside-cleaning rollers 16 fastened thereto being folded up. Here, too,there is the advantage that the side-cleaning rollers are driven by thesole-cleaning rollers 9 via the cleaning elements 11, 11′, so that noelaborate mechanical decoupling is necessary for folding-up the platformgrating 3.

It is also apparent from FIG. 3 that the shoe scrubber is alsoespecially easy to maintain and clean. The sole-cleaning rollers 9 inthe trough are thus inserted at the end and against an intermediatesupport 18 into suitable bearing shells or journals such as shown at 19,it being possible for the connection to the gear mechanism 13 to beachieved by a form-fitting pin-type connection, for example for examplea hex end on the roller shaft fitting into a hex socket on a shaft ofthe gear box 13. In the context of such an embodiment, the sole-cleaningrollers 9 can be very easily removed, cleaned, and optionally replacedafter lifting the platform grating 3.

I claim:
 1. A shoe scrubber comprising: a machine frame forming a troughextending in a longitudinal direction; a platform supported in theframe, extending longitudinally above the trough, and subdivided intotwo longitudinally extending paths; a respective pair of elongatedlongitudinally extending rollers having radially extending cleaningelements in the trough under each of the paths with the elementsprojecting upward through the platform; and means for rotating therollers and thereby scrubbing dirt from soles of shoes on the platformin the paths.
 2. The shoe scrubber defined in claim 1, wherein the drivemeans includes gearing for counterrotating the rollers of each pair 3.The shoe scrubber defined in claim 1 wherein the rollers each haveaxially spaced arrays of the cleaning elements and the platform is agrating having windows through which the arrays extend.
 4. The shoescrubber defined in claim 3, wherein the cleaning elements of one of therollers of each pair of rollers extend through every other window of thegrating, and the cleaning elements of the other of the rollers of. 5.The shoe scrubber defined in claim 3, wherein the elements are bristlesextending radially outward from rotation axes of the respective rollers.6. The shoe scrubber defined in claim 1, further comprising: arespective pair of longitudinally extending side-cleaning rollerscarried on the frame flaning ea.
 7. The shoe scrubber defined in claim7, wherein the cleaning elements of the side-cleaning rollers mesh andwith the cleaning elements of the respective sole-cleaing roller suchthat rotation of the sole-cleaning rollers rotates the side cleaningrollers.
 8. The shoe scrubber defined in claim 7, further comprising:drive means for rotating the side-cleaning roller.
 9. The shoe scrubberdefined in claim 6 wherein the side-cleaning rollers are each relativelypositioned such that the distance from the respective axis of rotationto the platform surface is between 15 mm and 50 mm.
 10. The shoescrubber defined in claim 6, wherein the side-cleaning rollers havediameters between 30 mm and 100 mm.
 11. The shoe scrubber defined inclaim 1, wherein the platform is formed by a grating.
 12. The shoescrubber defined in claim 1, wherein the sole-cleaning rollers have alongitudinal length of between 90 cm and 250 cm.
 13. A shoe-cleaningmethod using a shoe scrubber having: a machine frame forming a troughextending in a longitudinal direction; a platform supported in theframe, extending longitudinally above the trough, and subdivided intotwo longitudinally extending paths; and a respective pair of elongatedlongitudinally extending rollers having radially extending cleaningelements in the trough under each of the paths with the elementsprojecting upward through the platform, the method comprising: moving arespective shoe along each of the paths with a sole of each shoe on thegrate; rotationally driving the sole-cleaning rollers such that theyengage and scrub the sole of the shoe on the grate in the respectivepath; wetting the cleaning elements of the sole-cleaning rollers with aliquid in the trough such that the liquid is applied by eachsole-cleaning roller to the sole of the shoe in the respective path. 14.The method defined in claim 13, further comprising the steps of:providing two side-cleaning rollers above the grate flanking each of thepaths; and rotating the side cleaning rollers such that cleaningelements thereof engage and clean sides of the shoes in the paths. 15.The method defined in claim 14, wherein the side-cleaning rollers arerotated by meshing the cleaning elements of the side-cleaning rollerswith the cleaning elements of the underlying sole-cleaning rollers suchthat rotation of the sole-cleaning rollers is transmitted from thesole-cleaning rollers to the cleaning elements of the side-cleaningelements.
 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein a side edge ofthe sole (12) and an upper portion above the sole (12) are cleanedand/or disinfected with side-cleaning rollers (16).